bang

1 of 5

verb (1)

banged; banging; bangs

transitive verb

1
: to strike sharply : bump
banged his knee
2
: to knock, hit, or thrust vigorously often with a sharp noise
banged the door shut
3
vulgar slang : to have sexual intercourse with

intransitive verb

1
: to strike with a sharp noise or thump
2
: to produce a sharp often metallic explosive or percussive noise or series of such noises
3
: to play a sport (such as basketball) in a very aggressive and forceful manner
bang for rebounds

bang

2 of 5

noun (1)

1
: a resounding blow
2
: a sudden loud noise
often used interjectionally
3
a
: a sudden striking effect
b
: a quick burst of energy
start off with a bang
c
: thrill
I get a bang out of all thisW. H. Whyte
4
vulgar slang
a
: an act of copulation
b
: a sexual partner
5
informal : exclamation point

bang

3 of 5

adverb

: right, directly
ran bang up against more trouble

bang

4 of 5

noun (2)

plural bangs
US
: the front section of a person's hair when it is cut short and worn over the forehead
usually used in plural
wore her bangs short
She had long hair with bangs.
In person, Miss Chin is small and pretty, with black button eyes, fluffy black bangs and dimples that show when she giggles …Helen Lawrenson

bang

5 of 5

verb (2)

banged; banging; bangs

transitive verb

: to cut (hair) short and squarely across
Phrases
bang for the buck or less commonly bang for one's buck or bang for the dollar or bang for one's dollar
US, informal
: value received from outlay or effort
investment is yielding less bang for the buckFortune
"They are going to try to get the best bang for their dollar, and they have to do it this way." Brock Lesnar

Examples of bang in a Sentence

Adverb The show began bang on time. the reform movement was just beginning when it bang ran into opposition
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The reality star chose a chic black design and went for short, choppy bangs. Jordan Greene, Peoplemag, 4 Mar. 2024 From Alva Claire’s angled Marni brows to Latto’s undercut bangs, this week’s celebrity beauty looks are mood board-approved. Essence, 1 Mar. 2024 Shoppers are demanding more bang for the buck, putting middling brands in a difficult position and making luxury items harder to sell. Ishika Mookerjee, Fortune Asia, 28 Feb. 2024 On day one, Diesel and creative director Glenn Martens brought out stars such as Jaden Smith, who turned heads by wearing a pair of sporty shades over his bangs. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 22 Feb. 2024 On February 8, the 26-year-old cosmetics mogul shared a stunning selfie, debuting a new pixie-bob mashup with wispy bangs. Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 10 Feb. 2024 Also in contrast to Swift, Carpenter wore her long blonde hair sleek and straight (though her bangs did have a bit of curl to them!). Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 20 Feb. 2024 Left alone to problem-solve her way home, Jo hears inexplicable bangs, and voices that couldn’t possibly be there. Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Feb. 2024 McMillon said the company was working to give consumers more bang for their buck through price decreases in its U.S. stores. Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 20 Feb. 2024
Verb
Chad Smith strolled on stage at Innings Festival and banged a gong to usher in the lengthy instrumental jam that set the tone for Red Hot Chili Peppers’ performance at Tempe Beach Park. Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 24 Feb. 2024 And with sophomore small forward Noah Batchelor’s left leg in a walking boot before the game, an already short bench got shorter when Geronimo appeared to bang his right knee against Iowa junior small forward Payton Sandfort’s knee with 4:45 left in the first half. Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 15 Feb. 2024 My heart banged against my chest and my ears filled with its loud beat. Sanaë Lemoine, Harper's Magazine, 2 Feb. 2024 The Hawkeyes star was running off the court with her head down when a female fan, trying to film the on-court celebration, banged into Clark. Mitch Stacy, USA TODAY, 21 Jan. 2024 Soon, neighbors reported hearing loud banging in Cayley's room. Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2024 Holt was repeatedly interrupted, banging his small gavel on the table in the middle school gymnasium several times to try to quiet the crowd. Jenavieve Hatch, Sacramento Bee, 15 Feb. 2024 The parents of kids with high support needs describe a life-altering intervention that has taught their child how to put on her shoes, or how to communicate a need or desire in ways that don’t involve banging her head against a wall or hours of screaming. Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 12 Feb. 2024 The final roster spots often go to the kids who are the toughest: the ones willing to bang for a rebound with a taller kid and dive on the floor for a loose ball. Stephen Borelli, USA TODAY, 13 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bang.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse bang hammering

Noun (2)

probably short for bangtail short tail

First Known Use

Verb (1)

circa 1550, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (1)

circa 1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

1828, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1874, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1874, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bang was circa 1550

Dictionary Entries Near bang

Cite this Entry

“Bang.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bang. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bang

1 of 4 verb
: to beat, strike, or shut with a loud noise

bang

2 of 4 noun
1
: a violent blow
2
: a sudden loud noise
3
a
: a quick burst of energy
start off with a bang
b
: a feeling of being thrilled or pleased
you'll get a bang out of this

bang

3 of 4 noun
: hair cut short across the forehead
usually used in plural

bang

4 of 4 verb
: to cut (front hair) short and squarely across
Etymology

Verb

probably of Scandinavian origin

Noun

probably from earlier bangtail "a short tail (on a horse)"

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